


The Weight of An Empire

by StrawhatsAndDelibirds



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 21:06:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7699360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawhatsAndDelibirds/pseuds/StrawhatsAndDelibirds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A work with my on characters, and an epilogue of sorts for a story I'm planning down the road. It was originally for a writing competition, but I think you guys might like it too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Weight of An Empire

Even from where she stood in her castle, the smell of ash and the sound of revolt reached her. She had been forbidden from leaving the castle since the attempt to quell the mob’s anger had been an overwhelming defeat. She had done her best to reason with them, even going as far as to suspend the tax man, and the chief of police, but that had done nothing. And now they demanded her crown, even going as far as to find some aging relative of the emperor before the last.

She was hoping that she could simply just wait things out, and that things would calm down. But as hours turned to days, and the blaze burned through the once shining crown jewel of her empire, it was obvious that action needed to be taken. A plan needed to be made in order to stop this.

But not with the members of the court.

While she lacked any decisive proof, it wasn’t that big of a stretch of the imagination for some of the people in her very court were conspiring against her. Expanding the empire was a must, and in order to keep civil war from breaking out, land needed to be taken with as little pillaging as possible. But conquering land like that wasn’t a cheap task. Building an army was costly, and especially one as grand and skilled as she had wanted to create. And even if she didn’t turn her eyes on expanding, she needed one to quell any uprisings in unruly parts of her kingdom, or to protect the cities on the boarders from invading forces.

But the funds needed for an army would have to come from the people’s taxes. It wasn’t hard to see that the rich were none too pleased with the fact that they couldn’t just avoid taxes all together any more, it only made her more suspicious of the mobs demands. This new emperor they wanted seemed a lot like a pushover, and as such easier to control. And a leader for a great nation needed to be able to take action on their own.

And yet she was trapped in her own castle with possible traitors, as the citizens of her capital died and the heart of her empire burned. How she longed for the days when she was just simply a general. But having been made heir to the aging emperor after her conquests in the north, the title was forced on her. A few months in, and already the position weighed heavily on her.

She took her seat at her throne, and was silent for a while as the dreaded words continued to die in her throat.

“Bring me General Astarte. I wish to speak with her in private,” she ordered flatly. The guards that had been in her throne room leapt into action. It wasn’t often her tone was so grave, but there was no point of putting up a mask of jovial confidence for this.

She had known that Astarte was supposed to be back in town about this time, however finding her would be quite the task in the chaos that had engulfed the city that she loved so dearly. But every moment that passed, was another life of a citizen dying needlessly. She remained silent, despite the members of the court that swarmed her like she had been dipped in honey and then thrown onto a beehive. Knowing that there was a traitor somewhere among them made her sick to her stomach. She was dealing with enough right now. Her court would have to deal with her silence for the time being. Astarte was going to be the only person that she would be sharing this plan with.

It was about three hours of questions about her plan and her silently trying to figure out who exactly was, or were, the traitors, when General Astarte entered. Her presence was enough to silence the nattering of the court, and she couldn’t be more grateful to see her old friend. Her actions were improper, but she rose from the thrown to go greet her. It was a simple hug, but it left her court scandalized. But there was nothing they could do. To openly defy the empress like this at this point in time, was a quick and easy way to die.

She quickly guided her old friend and mentor out of the throne room, and to one of their favourite spots in which they used to stand and look out while they were waiting for the emperor to assign them work. It had a great view of the capital, but right now it was obscured by smoke.

There was silence for a bit, as they took in this view.

“Astarte. How fast can you assemble your troops?” She asked solemnly, staring out into the billowing black clouds that ate up her empire.

“Empress Sophonisba, you aren’t-“

“Please Astarte. You know I’ve never been one for formal titles like that. Especially from friends.”

“Sophonisba. You’re asking me to march my personal army on the citizens?” She could feel her friend’s gaze go through her. The façade of strength faded, as she turned to her friend, letting the stress of it all show in her eyes.

“It’s either we quell the rebellion or we let everything our ancestors worked so hard for burn to the ground. If I can’t stop them here, and I lose my capital, how can I hope to ever regain the people’s respect? Just...” She sighed and turned back to the smoke. “Try to keep the casualties to a minimum.”

Astarte bowed, and then left. Sophonisba stared out at what was once a great city, before she returned to her throne, and then sat there with her head in her hands. The cries of rebellion soon turned to panicked screams as the army entered the mix. She could feel her heart break.

But what else could she do?


End file.
